My Mother, the Newsie Freak
by ShoeGoil
Summary: The year is 2024 and Sammy discovers her mother's online Newsie identity while staying at her Grandparent's house. A look at the everabiding quality of Newsies and the longlasting effects of being an NML member
1. Prologue: It Starts in the Middle

Disclaimer: **Newsies**_ is property of Disney, copyright 1992. Other characters are mine unless otherwise stated._

MY MOTHER, THE NEWSIE FREAK

Prologue: It Starts in the Middle

If your grandmother ever says to you, "Let's watch this movie. It used to be a favorite of your mother's when she was your age," and it happens to be a movie called, of all things, _Newsies_, just run far and run fast. Don't feign interest just to be polite. Don't even waste time saying, "No, thank you." Seriously. Far and fast. You'll thank me.

I only offer these words of wisdom because no one was around to offer them to me until much later. And maybe I'm being a little melodramatic. Forgive me. But sixteen-year-olds are good at melodrama, so if you want to read my story, you'll have to learn to love it.

This past summer I was shipped off to California to stay with my mom's parents. Mom and Dad, the coolest people you'll ever meet, were off to New York City where my dad's jazz band was on tour. I wanted to go with them, but Grandma and Grandpa won out. They hadn't seen me for a couple of years, even though Las Vegas really isn't so far from Whittier. Maybe four hours away by car (or three if my dad is driving…)? Anyway, it was all planned out. I was going to be with them for two months, sleeping in my mom's old room and everything. It promised to be a riot.

The first week or so, nothing very strange occurred. But then, yep, you guessed it. My grandma said to me, "Let's watch this movie. It used to be a favorite of your mother's when she was your age." And I was instantly intrigued. I'm a sucker for old movies. So I agreed to watch it with her right away.

And it was a really fun movie! The dancing and the singing and the…well, I promised myself that I'd be honest, so I might as well admit that the sights weren't too shabby, either. I lost count of how many boys were in it, which is amazing considering my age and the fact that most girls my age like boys…

That night I went on my Grandma's sweet vintage iMac (back when they still had keyboards!) and googled "Newsies." I was curious to find out more about it. The search results offered me much more than I'd ever want: 1,423,000 results. Okay. Obviously my mother and my grandmother weren't the only people to have ever seen it.

Determined to find out more about this mysterious movie, I clicked on the most obviously useful link. Newsiespedia. And there was no going back.


	2. Chapter 1: I am inducted

Disclaimer: **Newsies**_ is property of Disney, copyright 1992. Other characters in this chapter are mine, except Kit, who belongs to Stress and Moonlight, who belongs to Moustrap._

MY MOTHER, THE NEWSIE FREAK

Chapter 1: I am Inducted

_Friday night finds me camped out in my mom's old bedroom, the old iBook on my lap, working up the courage to join the famous (according to Newsiespedia, that is) _Newsies Mailing List.

**SammerYammer: **Hi, is this Kit?

_A pause, and then with a little sing-songy bleep, the AOL instant messenger window has a new line._

**KittenFluffball: **LOL! Yes. Who are you?

**SammerYammer:** I'm Sammy. I found your SN on Newsiespedia

**KittenFluffball:** You did? Cheese-it, that's awesome!

**SammerYammer:** Cheese-it?

**KittenFluffball:** Yeah! Well, cheese-it means to get out of here or whatever, but I like it so I use it for everything.

_The Magical realm of AIM lets me correspond with such enlightened folk._

**SammerYammer:** Listen, Kit. You mentioned on Newsiespedia something called NML.

**KittenFluffball:** No I didn't…that's been there for ages. I just keep things updated on Newsiespedia. LoL!

**SammerYammer:** Okay. Well, anyway, how do I join?

**KittenFluffball:** You have to talk to Moonlight. She's the list mommy.

**SammerYammer:** List mommy?

**KittenFluffball: **Cheese-it you sound like a parrot, always copying me! She's the list mommy. Her SN is MoonlightsCowboy but a word of warning: don't talk bad about Jack. I said one little thing and poof! Now she won't talk to me! Lol

**SammerYammer: ** Jack? Who's Jack? Is he the list daddy?

_Why the heck do I feel so dumb?_

**KittenFluffball:** LoL! She wishes! Who's your favorite newsie, anyway?

_Finally a topic I feel comfortable with discussing!_

**SammerYammer: **I love Spot Collins! His eyes are so dreamy!

_I don't sound obnoxious, do I? Ugh, I kind of do. Oh well._

**KittenFluffball: **You and half the Newsie realm. But that's okay. Just remember that its Conlon, not Collins, and you'll be fine.

_Oops…_

**SammerYammer: **Got it.

------

**SammerYammer: **Hi, is this Moonlight?

**MoonlightsCowboy: **Yeah, hi!

**SammerYammer: **Hi! My name is Sammy and I want to join your Newsies Mailing List.

**MoonlightsCowboy: **Oh, Great! What's your NN?

_My what!?_

**SammerYammer: **My WHAT?

**MoonlightsCowboy: **You know, Newsie Name.

_Oh honestly! These people and their acronyms! NML, NN, AIM, SN…_

**SammerYammer: **Honestly, I'm not quite sure what you mean

**MoonlightsCowboy: **Everyone who joins the list has a NN. And they all have to be unique. We've got 3500 members, and all their names are original.

**SammerYammer: **Where do you get one?

**MoonlightsCowboy: **Mostly it just comes to you. You might want to try incorporating your favorite newsie in your name.

_Crickets chirp as I consider what I could possibly call myself that would be original. Well, let's see. Incorporating my favorite newsie…That would be _Spot_ of course. I play with the word Spot in my mind, and then glance back at who I'm talking to. Moonlight…switch to Spotlight, and I've got a name!_

**SammerYammer: **Okay, got it! I'll be Spotlight.

_There's silence from my AIM window and I'm almost certain she hates me for violating her name. Then she responds._

**MoonlightsCowboy: **Sorry! I just checked our name archives and Spotlight is already taken.

_But it was so creative…_

**SammerYammer: **I don't think I can come up with a name right now.

**MoonlightsCowboy: **That's okay. You'll think of one soon. You'll be getting your welcome email any moment. In the meanwhile, let me be the first to welcome you to the NML! Shall we spit-shake?

_What am I getting myself into?_


	3. Chapter 2: Is that MY Inbox?

Disclaimer: **Newsies**_ is property of Disney, copyright 1992. _Sammy and ShoeGoil belong to me. All other names and characters belong to…who they belong to.

MY MOTHER, THE NEWSIE FREAK

Chapter 2: Is that MY inbox?

**TOC: CC, RBs, NEs, and of course SOs!**

**Flying Monkeys couldn't drag me to see it!!!**

**NML newbie profile**

**What the heck is a Knockwurst??**

**Yearly update from ShoeGoil (a couple years late, oops!)**

**Poll results for newsies**

**FIC UPDATE!!!!! **

**Spotty NE**

**I knew Racetrack was Old….but THAT OLD??!??!!!**

_I stop scanning down the subject titles with a dazed shake of my head. First of all I didn't plan to have 43 new messages two hours after joining that list! Bet second of all, I never expected to see so many weird subject headings. I click on_ **Poll results for newsies**, _curious to see what kind of poll was taken, and what the results are._

Poll results for newsiesThe following newsies poll is now closed. Here are the final results:

POLL QUESTION: Ok, I love all the newsies, but there has to be one that sometimes bugs you! So if you could just yell at/punch in the face/trip/etc one newsie, who would it be?

CHOICES AND RESULTS  
- Jack, 2 votes, 9.52  
- Spot, 2 votes, 9.52  
- David, 1 votes, 4.76  
- Les, 10 votes, 47.62  
- Mush, 0 votes, 0.00  
- Crutchy, 2 votes, 9.52  
- Kid Blink, 1 votes, 4.76  
- Skittery, 0 votes, 0.00  
- Boots, 2 votes, 9.52  
- Racetrack, 0 votes, 0.00  
- Snoddy, 0 votes, 0.00  
- Bumlets, 1 votes, 4.76

_I can't help but crack up. Poor Les got the shaft! I don't know who many of the characters are. Like obviously, I recognize the names Jack and David and Crutchy, and Racetrack, since Jack talks to him. But some of these others, I would have no idea they were even in the movie. Who's this Mush? And Snoddy! What a funny name. I vow to go to Newsiespedia after I'm done reading the rest of the messages so I can do a little more research._

_I click on_ **What the heck is a Knockwurst?? **_because the subject makes me laugh._

Hey guys n' girls! On the sign in Tibby's it says that one of the things they're offering for sale is a Knockwurst. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT IT IS? I want Kid Blink to order one in my fic I'm working on, but I don't know how to describe it. Any info is appreciated!

CTB!  
Starfish

_  
Yeah, that post wasn't as exciting as I had hoped. Next I click on_ **_I knew Racetrack was Old….but THAT OLD??!??!!!_ (FEWL)**

Oh geeze oh geeze oh geeze oh geeze!  
Did anyone see Racetrack (Max Casella) on "Jumping on the Couch" last night? I never watch that show, but of course I did since the great and mighty Max was going to be on it. He looked decrepit! I'm sorry to any Max lovers, but he did! (Geeze, I'm so glad I'm not in love with him or anything. I'd be joining a nunnery or something right now).  
Anyway, I gotta go. It's my first day of flying lessons! Wooo!  
Glider

_I laugh. I had totally forgotten that the actors in this movie must be like in their 50s or 60s or something. I wish I had seen that show last night so I could have seen "the great and mighty Max" in all his decrepit glory._

_Next I click on_ **NML newbie profile**. _It's a list of questions asking me to fill out and send to the list to introduce myself. So I do it._

**Name**: Sammy  
**Newsie Name**: none yet. Any ideas?  
**Where did your NN come from**: don't have one yet  
**Favorite Newsie**: Spot Conlon  
**Why**: Because he seems the most like someone I'd like to get to know better. Heh  
**Age**: 16  
**Location**: California  
**Any SNs**: SammerYammer  
**Anything else**: no!

_Okay, so that was easy. I click on_ **Yearly update from ShoeGoil (a couple years late, oops!)** _because frankly, I will never tire of these people's weird names._

Hello, Newsies! Vat's new? (lol! I crack myself up every time!)

TOC (Too Old, Cuties!)  
1. Re-intro  
2. My life  
3. Congrats are in order…  
4. SOs

1. Re-intro

Okay, so my name is ShoeGoil and I have been on this list since 1999, with a slight absence shortly after I joined. Yes, I am indeed one of the mythical Super-Oldies! A lot has changed over the years, but I'm happy to say that the list remains as amazing now as it was almost 25 years ago when I first joined.

2. My life

My life is great, kiddies! I'm actually in our beloved New York City this very moment with my husband, whose jazz band is on tour. I thought that I should definitely post now, since my post would mean so much more, being blessed by Manhattan's WiFi. I wish I could say that I'm sitting out here next to Horace Greeley himself (or at least one of the Horace Greeley's, lol!) but it's so bloody hot (remember? "Summer Stinks"??) that I'm in our hotel room.

Let's see…vat's new with me? Well, my daughter is 16 now. I realize that some of you are that age or younger and you cannot even imagine having children right now, but for the few remaining older ones, isn't motherhood a riot? You young kids will never know joy until you've had a 16-year old daughter!

Anything else new? Working on my novel, still. I'll keep you all posted about it. Thanks for your support on the last one:-)

3. Congrats are in order…

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2023 NMLAwards! I realize that the results came out almost a year ago, but I haven't posted since then, so I wanted to make sure I said congrats now.

4. SOs

You didn't think I'd write a post without SO-ing, did you?

3Sweets, Air, Angel, Aki, Alley Kat, Apple, Aqua, Bee, Bittah, Books, Braids, Cakes, Calico Kitten, Celtic, Cheetah, Cliff, Criss-Cross, Dippy, Domino, Dreamer, Dewey, Dfly, Dippy, Ebony, Echo, Fang, Fickle, Filly, Firecracker, Firefly, Flare, Gamester, Geeky, Gimmick, Goosey, Hades, Hair, Holiday, Idiosyncrasy, Jester, Juni, Kay Singah, Kid Snitch/Labyrinth, Knots, Let, Locket, Luna BOB, Magpie, Mako, Marty, Midnight, Morning Glory, Patch, Puck, Rae, Relic, Shamrock, Slacker, Spadey, Speckles, Spin, Spotlight, Spunk, Spy, Stagey, Stretch, Stress, Stubby, Sweet tart, Tag Along, Talia, Trap, Tree, Volley

(I hope I didn't forget anyone…are any of you on the list anymore??)

Take care everyone!  
3,  
ShoeGoil  
Cassie

_---_

_What the HECK was THAT? With her husband's jazz band in NYC? If I didn't know better I'd think that was…but, nah. Couldn't be. _

I hope.


	4. Chapter 3: And it gets Worse

Disclaimer: **Newsies** is property of Disney, copyright 1992. Sammy and ShoeGoil belong to me. The RPG quoted, NeWsIeSRPG is an actual yahoo group and the thread quoted was between myself and Alley Kat (aka Laurie) back in 1999. Miss you, Alley! Hope you don't mind me using this…

MY MOTHER, THE NEWSIE FREAK

Chapter 3: And it gets worse

_I stay away from my email inbox for three days. Of course I'm completely freaked out by the email that might possibly be from my mother and I'm convinced that it would just be best to stay completely away from all things related to _Newsies_. What does a silly movie mean to _me_, anyway? And a mailing list, however interesting, should not be so darn dependent on abbreviations._

But on the third day I watch that "silly movie" for the second time, and suddenly I can't stop thinking about it again. There's something about the way Jack Kelly sings "Santa Fe," I just want to give him a big bowl of New Mexican Albondigas or something, just to make him feel better. I decide to google the name "ShoeGoil" to see what I can discover. Perhaps I'll find that it isn't really my mom…just a mom in general. One can only hope…

_One of the first links that comes up on Google is to_ **NeWsIeSRPG**. _Ugh, another abbreviation. What can I say? I click on it, curious. This is what I get:_

**Jack was walking quietly late one night. He hadn't been around much for the past month or so. He'd been spending too much time with Sarah, although he was afraid that might be ending now. He took a long drag off of his cigarette and tossed it down. Up ahead he saw and went running up to them, happy to see an old friend.**

**ShoeGoil turned to see him and grinned. "Hey, Jack!"**

**Jack's eyes lit up. "Shoe! I haven't seen ya in ages!"**

**"I know, i know," she said with a teasing grin. "Someone's been a bit busy for a friend a his?"**

_It's so cute. I don't know what RPG stands for, but it reminds me of the improv games we play in the drama club at school. Some nut named Alley Kat started the ball rolling, playing the character of Jack, then ShoeGoil replied, and then they just replied back and forth. I absolutely adore this. What a cute idea. I keep reading._

**Jack grinned. "Yeah, yeah…how ya been?"**

**"Oh, we're doing fine," she said with a smile, touching her stomach lightly. She was about three and a half months pregnant now, and it was obvious.**

_Pregnant? That's slightly bizarre…Oh well. I keep reading._

**He smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders as they walked along. "That's good. I wouldn't wanna see anythin' happen to ya after all."**

**Shoe smiled at him. "Thanks, Jack. Dat's real sweet. I ain't used ta people caring so much."**

**"Really? I'd think there'd be plenty of people who'd care 'bout ya... how could dey resist dat smile?" he said, teasing her and batting playfully at her nose.**

**"Aw Jack!" shoe said, messing up his hair. "I save dis smile only for you!" she teased him.**

**"Awww, I get special treatment... how sweet," he teased, grinning." But seriously, I'se glad ya's both doin' okay." Jack gave shoe a little hug around the shoulders. "Do ya want it ta be a boy or a goil?"**

**Shoe smiled up at him. "Oh..i don't care really...jus' so long as it looks like me." she laughed. "Just kidding. I will feel bad for the child if it looks like me..."**

**"Oh come on, if it looks like you, then it'll definitely be beautiful."**

**"Aw, stop it," shoe said with a coy grin. "Ya know dat ain't true."**

_Oh man. This is getting cheesy! Who are these people, and why are they feeding their egos? I can't help but laugh, though. And I can't help but keep reading._

**"Aww, it is too true, and you know it. Hasn't anyone else ever told ya how pretty ya are?" he said in a low quiet voice, brushing her cheek lightly.**

**Shoe gave a little smile. "Actually, yeah...bout two thirds of Whittier, California told me dat...da uddah third was too drunk when dey was wid me ta talk." she laughed.**

_I can't help but gasp slightly. My _mom_ is from Whittier. What the HECK? But I surprise myself and keep reading._

**Jack cracked up. "Well fine, so ya have heard it. But I ain't drunk, and I don't plan ta buy ya, so I sincerely mean it."**

**Shoe pretended to look disappointed. "Ya woulda been my easiest sale yet!" she said with a laugh. "Awright, I believe ya."**

_I am not even going to comment on that…Okay I will. 'Sale'? She's a hooker?!_

**Jack gave her a friendly peck on the cheek. "Ya been stayin' wit' da guys at the lodgin' house?"**

**Shoe grinned. "Yeah, da good ol' lodgin house," she said, then with a naughty grin gave him a friendly peck on HIS cheek.**

**He laughed. "Ya know if ya ever want your privacy from the guys, there's a third floor where me and Sarah used ta stay."**

**"All this special treatment, it just makes me feel so good!" Shoe said with a cute smirk on her face. My own floor...wow. Though...ya know...it might be kinda lonely all alone. I dunno, Jack..."**

**Jack started fiddling with the brim of his hat. "I could keep ya company..." he said casually.**

_Oh, no…_

**Shoe outright laughed. "It sounds fun...but I charge for fun."**

_OH, NO!_

**Jack grinned widely at her. "Who says I meant THAT?"**

**Shoe pouted. "Ya don't want me?" she asked quietly.**

**Jack's cheeks turned pink. "It's not that it's...I didn't think you'd want…and… you're..." He gestured to her stomach.**

**Shoe shrugged. "Yeah...I shoulda known. It's such a turn off. Dat's why I came back ta New York…insteada' tryin ta make it in California."**

**"I never said it was a turn off!" he protested.**

**Shoe looked up at Jack and laughed. "Youse such a sucker, Jacky-boy," she teased. "I can get ya to say an' do whatevah I want ya to!"**

**Jack blushed a little. "Oh, shaddup."**

**Shoe laughed and kissed his cheek. "If ya say so," she said with a cute smirk.**

**He smiled softly at her. "Shoe, you're too cute, ya know that?"**

**"Am I?" she asked teasingly.**

**He ruffled her hair, then kissed her cheek. "Yeah, ya really are."**

**Shoe grinned. "Well danks...kuz so is you," she said, and leaned forward, kissing Jack on the lips.**

**Jack's eyes widened, but he quickly regained his composure and gasp returned the kiss.**

**Shoe smiled, knowing he'd do just that. And pulled him closer into a deeper kiss.**

_I'm done. I need to just shut this window and leave this. I seriously have no right to be reading this. The fake newsie accent was one thing. But the cheesy kissing…_

**Jack grinned, wrapping his arms around her waist, and playing with the ends of her hair.**

**She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down, pressing her body against his.**

_NO, no, NO! Stop it! Just stop reading, Sammy!_

**Jack smiled, for once really enjoying himself. He let his fingers dance up her sides before resting one hand on her cheek, the other on her neck.**

**Shoe gave a short giggle, and, still kissing him, undid a button on his shirt.**

**Jack's eyes widened again, but he moved to kiss down along her jaw line, slipping his hands up inside her shirt.**

_I can't do this. I can't keep reading this...But I can't turn it off, either!_

**Shoe smirked…she could get any guy to do whatever she wanted, and have them pay her at the same time. But she decided to let Jack think he was in charge for the time being, and put on her innocent act she was so famous for. "Jack..." she whispered, moving his hand away and stepping a few inches away from him.**

**Jack pouted. "Hey... come back heah..." he sighed. "Come on, I didn't mean ta make ya uncomfortable…"**

**"No…it's not dat," she said quietly, looking down at her feet.**

**Jack sighed. "Then what is it, Shoe?"**

**"Well…it's jus'..." She bit her lip and looked around to make sure no one else was looking. "I ain't done anythin' like dis since I foist knew I was pregnant...an' I ain't sure if I remmebah how..."**

**Jack almost laughed, but choked it down. "Shoe, I'm sure ya remember how. It's not somethin' ya can forget."**

**Shoe laughed. "Well...if youse sure..."**

**"Oh come on, it's only been what? Three months? Ya haven't forgotten."**

**She smiled and gently pushed against his chest, leaving her hand there for a moment longer than necessary. "My, aren't you persistent," she said teasingly. "Not that I can blame you, of course." Shoe patted her hair and said, " I's a goddess when it comes to dis kinda thing..."**

**Jack rolled his eyes. "The Goddess Shoe..." he chuckled. "Someone's got a big ego. Anyways, whadda we standin' around here for? Let's go somewhere comfortable."**

**"Why, Jack…am I making you UNcomfrotable?" she teased, moving her hand across his chest slowly. "kuz if I am...I can always jus' leave ya alone..." she smiled and started to take her hand away from him.**

**Jack immediately grabbed her hand, holding it in place. His heartbeat sped up from the touch of her hand. He smiled down at her. "No, you're not makin' me uncomfortable... I was just thinkin maybe we should go somewhere…um... INSIDE?"**

**Shoe smirked a little. "Aw, ya mean, on a certain third floor?" she asked quietly.**

_Groan, groan, groan…_

**"Where else?" Jack teased. "Come on." He took her wrist, leading her into the lodging house and up the stairs, then up a second flight hidden behind a door. And finally, they were on the third floor. It was basically empty, except for a few huge chairs, and a giant fluffy bed.**

**Shoe laughed. "It looks like da perfect place ta have a liddle fun, Jacky-boy," she teased, poking his chest.**

**Jack laughed and walked over, flopping down next to her and stretching out on his back, his arms behind his head. "It's comfy, ain't it?"**

**Shoe smirked. "yeah...real comfy..." she scooted a little closer and put her hand on his knee.**

**Jack smiled slightly, wrapping his arms tightly around her, managing to slip one up the back of her shirt.**

**Shoe giggled a little and wrapped a leg around his, rolling over so that she was lying on top of him.**

_Okay! Enough's enough!_ _I slam the laptop shut, only to open it back up, close the webpage window, and then slam the laptop shut again. My cheeks feel pink. _

_Okay, so it was a pretty tame love scene, don't get me wrong. But, honestly. The very thought that that might possibly have been my mother just makes me ready to yammy. It's like I just watched her cheating on my dad, or something. Whatever this was that I just read, I NEVER want to live through it again._

_That and I don't think Jack deserves Albondigas anymore. _


	5. Chapter 4: A Dream, a Nightmare

Disclaimer: **Newsies** is property of Disney, copyright 1992. Sammy and ShoeGoil belong to me.

Author's Apology: Three chapters and a prologue, and as of yet, no dream sequence? This is a serious offense to the worthiness that is Newsie Fan Fiction. I apologize and rectify the situation without further ado.

MY MOTHER, THE NEWSIE FREAK  
Chapter 4: A Dream...a Nightmare

_That black-haired newsie…the one sent to Queens…I don't know his name. But I'm wandering the empty streets of a peaceful, twilit Manhattan evening in a long, frilly white dress, when I turn around to a tap on my shoulder, and it's him. He's wearing those same knickers, and that blue shirt with the vest that he wears in the movie. He takes off his grayish-white hat and offers me a bouquet of white roses, then bows, causing his shiny hair to fall into his face for the briefest of moments. He tosses his hair out of his face as he rises, and I seriously do have this little melting feeling somewhere inside of me. Not knowing what else to do, I curtsy._

_Before I even have a chance to protest, he's got me in his arms and we're waltzing to some waltzified version of "Seize the Day," being played by violins up in the heavens or something weird like that. He dances good! And I like being in his arms, moving rhythmically with him._

_"Who are you?" I ask, knowing full well that he's a newsie, and even recognizing him, of course. I hope he'll tell me his name._

_Instead, his brown eyes widen in surprise, as if I should already know that and a bunch of other intimate things about him. He pulls away from me and goes into a fancy spin, and then starts doing these barrel turns, leaping into the air as the music accelerates, faster and faster. He leaps into one final spin and is poof gone._

_I look down at the roses still in my hand and realize they're intricately folded pieces of newspaper._

_And I awake with a start in my mom's old teenage bedroom, the same old Barbie dolls staring down at me from the shelf._

_"That was a newsie," I tell my bear, admittedly still half-asleep. "But what was his name?"_

_I creep out into my grandparents' living room, where the dreaded movie is still sitting in all its glory next to the tv. I grab it and hurry back to the bedroom, putting the movie on. I watch it carefully for quite awhile until I get to that part where Jack is telling the newsies where to go to spread the news of the strike._

_Bumlets. His name is Bumlets._

-------------

And I'm back in the game. Without getting any more sleep that night, I finish watching the movie, then re-start it, watching that black-haired angel's every moves. He's graceful and lithe, sneaky and silly, serious and sexy. Did I just say sexy? I meant, serious and…sensitive? Dang-it. Oh well, I said from the beginning that I'd be honest, and I meant it. Forgive my 16-year old hormones, and we'll continue with the story.

After some breakfast with my grandparents, I sneak back into my mom's room and open up ye olde faithful iBook, again Googling "newsies."

With visions of his shiny black hair dancing in my head, I click from one site to the other, trying to find out more about him. And surprisingly, I'm not just curious about his character. I want to know about the man behind the knickers…er, well you know what I mean. I hope you didn't read that wrong... I'm just curious to find out what happened to him after the movie. I mean, I know the movie's like 30 years old or something, so he wouldn't be the pristine goodness that he was then. But I'd still like to see him, even now. And perhaps he has a cute grandson or something…picking up on the family business, shiny black hair and everything.

It's the first time since watching that movie that I'm actually trying to learn something about an actor. Okay, so it's only been less than a week since I've seen that movie, so it's not like it took me long to get around to being obsessed with an actor. But still…I see this change in my research habits as a clear indication of my growing interest in THE MOVIE. No, wait. Let me be more honest… my growing interest in NEWSIES. As embarrassing as it is to be falling in love with a movie that my mother may or may not have had a "thing" for, I think I'm honestly at the point where I can say that I adore Newsies to the utmost degree, and can even honestly own up to it. At least to myself.

_Somebody pinch me, I'm dreaming!_

And then I fall out of my dream with a sudden, tragic lurch. There on 3Sweets n' Treats' webpage, "The Walkin' Mouth", a list of deceased Newsies actors. A small list…just two. Kloppman and…Bumlets.

Dominic Lucero is dead.

--------

I'm sobbing as I type a desperate email to the NML. I need answers.

_Hi guys – _

_How could this happen? Bumlets is dead? I just had this dream last night that he and I were together…he looked just the same, and we danced together for a little bit and then he just disappeared. Please, someone write me back and tell me what happened and when it happened. I just can't believe it. I don't want to believe it._

_-Sammy_


End file.
